Occurrence of Plum pox potyvirus on cherry in Czechia
In Czechia, Plum pox potyvirus (PPV – EPPO A2 list) is considered as one of the most damaging virus disease of plum, apricot and peach. PPV-D isolates are prevalent, although PPV-M types (and recombinants M/D) have also been detected in a few cases. A survey was initiated in 1999, on the possible presence of PPV in a collection of cherry cultivars at Holovousy. 41 cherry trees (including trees showing typical sharka symptoms) were tested by ELISA and RT-PCR for the presence of PPV and several other viruses (Prune dwarf ilarvirus - PDV, Prunus necrotic ringspot ilarvirus - PNRSV, Apple chlorotic leaf spot trichovirus - ACLSV). As a result, PPV was detected in 7 cherry trees. Among the other viruses tested, PDV was prevalent, sometimes in mixed infections with PNRSV and ACLSV. This is the first report of PPV on cherry in Czechia. It is recalled that after the first finding of PPV on sour and sweet cherry in Moldova and Italy (1994), PPV has also been found on cherry in Hungary and Bulgaria (1998) and in Romania (2002).
Sources
Navrátil M, Šafářová D, Crescenzi A, Fanigliulo A, Comes S, Petrzik K, Karešová (2004) The occurrence of PPV in cherry trees in the Czech Republic.
Acta Horticulturae, no. 657, 237-244.